The SURF RUNNER Build: 2001 Stellar Blue Limited 4WD

[Bandit Runner]

I really like the color scheme as it is, with the Thundercloud on the bumpers, fender flares, and Limited trim. To me it's an excellent contrast against the Stellar Blue. I don't think that the steel blue would look good against the Stellar Blue.

I agree completely. Leave the thundercloud as it is.

 

[Hepar]

Here's a real quick photoshop of the color change. Obviously far from perfect example, but you get a bit of the idea of how it would look.

 

[MattJakobs]

Here's a real quick photoshop of the color change. Obviously far from perfect example, but you get a bit of the idea of how it would look.

Millennium silver next please :artist2: opcorn:

 

[SURF RUNNER]

Here's a real quick photoshop of the color change. Obviously far from perfect example, but you get a bit of the idea of how it would look.

Thanks Hepar! I really appreciate the pic.

To me the photoshop below looks like a silver-blue or frost blue... sort of a "cotton candy" or pastel shade of blue. Can you do one with a Steel Blue or the Teal Blue from the Camaro and the Firebird? Also, include the color change on the front and rear bumper as well.

 

[Hepar]

Thanks Hepar! I really appreciate the pic.

To me the photoshop below looks like a silver-blue or frost blue... sort of a "cotton candy" or pastel shade of blue. Can you do one with a Steel Blue or the Teal Blue from the Camaro and the Firebird? Also, include the color change on the front and rear bumper as well.

I actually chose the color from the third pic you posted. The shot of the Camaro from the rear. If you can find a better picture of the color you are looking for, I can give it a go. One with a good solid base to choose from with the best lighting possible.

 

[Hepar]

Or better yet, find the color code and then I can find a good sample to pick from.

 

[SURF RUNNER]

Thanks.

http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/colorcodedisplay.cgi?gmcode=WA3708&rows=50&syear=1968&smanuf=GM&smodel=Camaro&sname=Teal%20Blue

1968 Chevrolet Teal Blue
1968 Pontiac Aleutian Blue
GM Code - WA3708
Ditzler PPG - 13516

Are these the codes you need?

The color should be a medium gray with a little bit of Teal (more blue than green) in it. I'm thinking that maybe you captured some of the highlighted or brighter reflected areas from the Camaro.

By the way, I'm not anti-Thundercloud... I just think that a grayish-blue would look better than a light gray below the Stellar Blue paint.

 

[Hepar]

OK, here's another go at it, but I still couldn't find a good sample color even with the code. Would have thought it would be easy.

If this still isn't it, pick which color is closest from the samples below and I'll use that one.

 

[Bandit Runner]

My opinion, FWIW

These two shades of blue do just not go well with eachother. The dark blue is more of a royal or "true" blue, and the lighter blue has a hint of green in it. In order for the two to compliment each other, they have to be the same color base, but a different shade. Meaning one lighter and one darker, but the same base color. Yours just don't have the same base color IMO.

I think you have to go with a more neutral color for the trim, like the thundercloud. I also think a nice light/medium grey would look nice with the dark blue. Maybe even gunmetal grey, but that may be too dark. I would like to see samples of those.

 

[Hepar]

I think you have to go with a more neutral color for the trim, like the thundercloud. I also think a nice light/medium grey would look nice with the dark blue. Maybe even gunmetal grey, but that may be too dark. I would like to see samples of those.

If you can find color examples like the lower pic above, it gives the best base to apply the color. I can then show you what they would look like.

 

[Bandit Runner]

If you can find color examples like the lower pic above, it gives the best base to apply the color. I can then show you what they would look like.

Thanks, but I'll let [MENTION=102813]SURF RUNNER[/MENTION] provide you with what colors he wants to preview. I don't want to waste your time, or screw up his thread anymore than I already have.

 

[SURF RUNNER]

Color Options

Street price for a legit shop, with you doing all the removal work and re-install of the actual flares: $500 - $750. In California it is on the higher end.

If you know someone who paints or can do it yourself then the price goes down a lot. Maybe to like $300 or $400.

Source: I've removed my flares and painted them professionally twice. The second time was just this year.

BrianSD_42,

Those are close to the estimates I am getting, but they are a little lower here in Texas. I have to get my front ARB bumper and my rear Shrockworks bumper painted before I install them anyway, so there will be a decent cost savings to get the fender flares and Limited trim done at the same time since it will all be the same paint color (except for the tubes/bars).

Millennium silver next please

Hepar,

MattJakobs (fellow Stellar Blue owner) and I would love to see what the bumpers, flares and trim looks like (in one or both of the photos of my 4Runner you have been photoshopping) in Millennium Silver. Obviously you are familiar with Millennium Silver since you own one. Thanks a ton for the photoshop help - it is not taken for granted.

Here is a photo thread I started for Millennium Silver owners. If you have a Millennium Silver 4Runner and haven't posted pics here please consider doing that.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/171750-official-millennium-silver-photo-thread.html

As you can see below Millennium Silver is a superb color for 3rd Gen 4Runners. I have read old posts on different forums where potential buyers would rush to the dealership back in 1999/2000 to buy a Millennium Silver 4Runner only to find out that it had already been sold. The color was in extremely high demand. Here is what my front bumper would look like in Millennium Silver...

If you can find color examples like the lower pic above, it gives the best base to apply the color. I can then show you what they would look like.

Thanks, but I'll let @SURF RUNNER provide you with what colors he wants to preview. I don't want to waste your time, or screw up his thread anymore than I already have.

Bandit Runner,

I appreciate your comments on my build thread and I welcome your opinion. I promise that you are not screwing up my build thread. The reason that I spend so much time on my build thread is so that fellow 3rd Gen owners can benefit from my mistakes and experiences and contribute to my build at the same time. Thanks for spending time on this thread. Please fee free to contribute any colors that you think may work on my 4Runner or any other 3rd Gen. This part of my build thread has become almost a tutorial in selecting color for the trim pieces that most of us have on our Runners. I think this is important... no one wants to spend $500 + and not like the result.

OK, here's another go at it, but I still couldn't find a good sample color even with the code. Would have thought it would be easy.

Hepar,

Thanks again for your photoshop work. I know that you are going about it the right way, but I still don't think that the photoshop below is truly showing (as well as a photoshop can) what the Teal Blue would look like on a Stellar Blue 4Runner. Maybe some colors just don't translate very well in a photoshop. It seems that the lighter shades of the color (where the light is hitting) are being represented as the overall color. I have seen this color is person and it is very rich and complex. It can look anywhere from a silver blue in the bright sunlight to a dark/smokey/stormy/moody blue-gray color indoors or in the shade. Look how much darker the two photos below are compared to your photoshop.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/95196-thundercloud-grey-runners-post-your-pictures.html

Above is a link for photos of Thundercloud 4Runners. This photo below shows the difference between Thundercloud and Millennium Silver. Obviously the Limited trim is Millennium Silver and the body paint is Thundercloud.

 

[IanB]

Love the "Blurple" color, same as my old Surf! Don't see many of those!

I like what you're doing with the truck, but I'd leave the lower cladding/flares the stock color personally.

 

[Hepar]

Hepar,

MattJakobs (fellow Stellar Blue owner) and I would love to see what the bumpers, flares and trim looks like (in one or both of the photos of my 4Runner you have been photoshopping) in Millennium Silver. Obviously you are familiar with Millennium Silver since you own one. Thanks a ton for the photoshop help - it is not taken for granted.

Here is a photo thread I started for Millennium Silver owners. If you have a Millennium Silver 4Runner and haven't posted pics here please consider doing that.

Hepar,

Thanks again for your photoshop work. I know that you are going about it the right way, but I still don't think that the photoshop below is truly showing (as well as a photoshop can) what the Teal Blue would look like on a Stellar Blue 4Runner. Maybe some colors just don't translate very well in a photoshop. It seems that the lighter shades of the color (where the light is hitting) are being represented as the overall color. I have seen this color is person and it is very rich and complex. It can look anywhere from a silver blue in the bright sunlight to a dark/smokey/stormy/moody blue-gray color indoors or in the shade. Look how much darker the two photos below are compared to your photoshop.

I just looked through that thread and you've already got my rig posted a few times!

And yeah, without a good sample, it's pretty hard to get a true feel for what the color is. Especially if it's a rich color with multiple subtle layers to it. Will look different under different light whereas in something like photoshop, it's one color.

Millennium silver was easier to find a good sample. The difference is subtle, but a bit more silver in it.

 

[MattJakobs]

I just looked through that thread and you've already got my rig posted a few times!

And yeah, without a good sample, it's pretty hard to get a true feel for what the color is. Especially if it's a rich color with multiple subtle layers to it. Will look different under different light whereas in something like photoshop, it's one color.

Millennium silver was easier to find a good sample. The difference is subtle, but a bit more silver in it.

I am personally a fan of the millennium silver, I feel it matches the wheels better with the color matched bumpers. I think the millennium silver has a little class to it and would really make the stellar blue pop on sunnier days. If I find a set of millennium silver flares at a junk yard, I'll probably hop on then since they're overall easier to match.

 

[SURF RUNNER]

Injen Air Intake

A while back I did a lot of research on air intakes and decided to purchase the Injen. I got a $100 CarID gift card for Christmas and when I called I also got a discount. After the gift card I ended up paying $125 of my own money to have this delivered. CarID also had a manufacturer offer for an extra Injen Nano Technology Dry filter, so that was added to the deal. The extra filter is probably a $50+ retail value.

Here is an Injen air intake installed on someone's 4Runner

I've done enough research on intakes to realize that a lot of 3rd Gen owners think that it is a complete waste of money. I'm familiar with the inexpensive and effective DIY mods, but I didn't want to go that route. When it is finished my air intake system will be completely sealed from the Safari Snorkel air scoop near my roof (either the Tacoma or the new 3rd Gen model under development from ARB http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/181800-safari-snorkel-releasing-snorkel-3rd-gen-4runners.html) to the engine intake. Several 3rd Gen owners have had good experiences with the Injen intake and have proven that it mildly improves performance and gas mileage.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/engines-suspension-wheels-tires-audio-accessories/114273-truth-about-cai-cold-air-intake.html

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/117439-new-injen-intake-installed-***pics-vids.html

The Volant was a very close second since it included a sealed air box. My third choice would have probably been the Airaid since it uses the stock airbox and is a clean application. I had toyed with the idea of buying a Volant for the airbox and then trying to sell the rest of the kit. I decided against this for three reasons. There was probably a 50% or more chance that the Injen wouldn't fit properly into the Volant box and plastic pieces like this are difficult to modify. There was probably a good chance I wouldn't be able to sell the Volant kit without the airbox. The third reason is that I decided that I would get a custom airbox fabricated, but it actually wouldn't be an "airbox" - it would be more of an air tube. More on this below the polished aluminum vs black polyethylene plastic excerpt.

Volant Intake and Airbox

Somewhere on the internet I found some good info on metal vs plastic. I seemed like it was an informed opinion, so I copied it to a word document for later use.

For metal vs plastic, personally I would go metal, as I believe it would be better, such as the Injen. First is that is a polished surface and would reflect a lot more heat than a black surface. And next, although the metal will conduct heat faster, heat up quicker, it will also cool down quicker, whereas the plastic would retain heat (such as a stoplight) and stay hotter for a longer period of time than the metal tube which would cool down quicker.

Some technical info, correct me if I am wrong:

Polished Aluminum (Injen):
absorptivity= 0.09 (rate of radiant energy absorbed by a surface, at 1.0 it absorbs all of the radiant energy)
specific heat= 0.91 kJ/(kg K) (The specific heat is the amount of heat per unit mass required to raise the temperature by one degree Celsius.)
thermal conductivity =237 W/(mK)

Polyethylene Black Plastic (Volant)
absorptivity= 0.94
specific heat= 1.0 kJ/(kg*K)
thermal conductivity 0.24 W/(mK)

So from this I would conclude that the aluminum intake tube will only absorb about 10% of the radiated heat from the engine compartment, whereas the black plastic would absorb about 90% of the radiated heat to the surface. This does not account for conduction or convection, such as the hot air contacting the tube or conduction of heat from the throttle body into the tube. I would imagine radiant heat is the biggest source of significant heat where the aluminum tube will absorb significantly less. The aluminum will though, conduct heat thru the walls far better than the plastic such as from convection of the air around it. But with each of the walls of each tube being relatively thin and the heat doesn't have to be conducted very far.

If I am super motivated, I could probably do some reasonable calculations and take into account both radiant heat and convection of a "tube," and find the heat flux into the tube, but I am busy and dunno if I would have time lol. Plus I would need to know the relative thicknesses of each tube, I wouldn't want to assume one or something like that lol.

For specific heat, they are nearly the same, but the aluminum is lower, meaning it takes less energy to heat it up by one degree, so it will heat up faster if it absorbs the same amount, but it will also cool quicker. The plastic tube will take a bit longer to heat up, but will not cool as quickly.

In my honest opinion the polished aluminum tube is the way to go since it won't absorb nearly as much heat as the plastic (10% vs. 90%), although it will conduct that heat better than the plastic tube. What would be optimal imho is a polished aluminum tube with an internal insulation, this way it would reflect most radiant energy, and any that is convected or absorbed would not conduct well thru the internal insulated section, such as plastic.

My idea is to take my 4Runner to a local metal fabrication shop and have them make something for the Injen. I don't want it be be a box. It will be more of a metal tube that swells up around the filter to encompass it, separating the filter from the engine bay, and then connects it to the air hole in the passenger side engine bay wall/inside fender. I would remove the pastic elbow in the internal fender and eventually install the ARB Safari Snorkel to connect everything.

A few thoughts:
- I want it to look cool - it must have both form and function. I will probably have some type of metal welded (maybe aluminum) that will end up having a polished look to somewhat match the Ingen intake tube.
- It must seal even better than the Volant box. The Volant box doesn't seal so well around the tube.

View of poor Volant seal

- There will probably be a round metal ring (shaped similar to a Spydertrax wheel spacer) that bolts the air tube cover to the engine bay wall over the existing air hole with a similarly shaped rubber gasket inbetween.
- On the engine side of the filter the tube cover would taper down and seal around the Injen tube - the air tube would only cover an inch or two of the Injen tube closest to the filter.
- I want a flowing tube that swells up around the filter - not a box. Maybe it would have sort of an Airstream look to it as far as how the small metal pieces are welded together.

- There would be some type of industrial-grade glass cover (I'm not a big fan of lexan) on the top to view the filter (without opening it) and then also to access the filter to change it. I actually thought about a very small nickel-plated porthole window fitted with optional safety glass. The porthole opens so it provides both access and visibility. If I went this route I would take the porthole to the welder and have him fabricate the filter cover around it so that it wouldn't looked "tacked-on". Yes, I know this seems like a semi-retarded idea (never go full retard!), but I am just brainstorming, so don't worry. The smallest porthole I have found to buy is 9" in diameter. I think that 6" to 7" in diameter would be optimal - you only need it big enough to open, reach in, and change the filter.

http://www.robinsdocksideshop.com/Portholes_2.htm

Nickel porthole, but the glass would be the optional safety glass (not the mirror pictured). The porthole is 9" in diameter and the glass is 7.5" in diameter.

- Another idea would be to buy a small, round industrial piece of glass (maybe the kind that looks like it has chicken-wire in it) and have that incorporated into a larger metal cover that opens like a clamshell.

 

[SURF RUNNER]

Injen Air Intake Installed; Selling Sports Hoods; OEM Headlight Installed

01/16/2015 Service
173,800 Miles

OEM Toyota Fuel Filter (23300-62030) Toyota $33.34
Injen Air Intake (PF2055P - For 1999-2002 4Runners) CarID $225.00

Installed fuel filter
Cleaned MAF
Removed factory intake, tube, silencer stuff, and elbow inside fender
Installed Injen air intake
$140 total/all labor

I asked the mechanic to dremel out the thin metal throttle body gasket from a "D" shape to an "O" shape. He said that he couldn't find the gasket. Is this possible or did he somehow miss it? If I really am missing this gasket is it bad for me to be driving around without it?

My performance and gas mileage are up. I don't know whether to attribute this to the fuel filter or the air intake (or both), but there is a noticeable difference. Even driving around town I can tell that it is going farther on the same amount of gas. The Injen intake is loud, but only when I am really pressing the pedal. The sound isn't noticeable under normal conditions.

The Injen air intake looks even better in my engine bay than I imagined. The quality of this product is very good. As far as aesthetics I think that the blue filter looks sharp with the blue NGK spark plug wires.

I decided to look for Sport Hoods and other parts on Saturdays. Last Saturday I bought a black Sport Hood in fairly rough condition and sold it to fellow forum member kishanSR5 on Monday for $190. He has already painted the hood back with the insert painted green to match his factory paint. I think he did a great job and this is a good look for his 4Runner.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/sale-t4r-items/186583-fs-3rd-gen-oem-black-highlander-sport-edition-scooped-hood-b-cs-texas-%24285.html

kishanSR5 has posted some before and after photos on the Sport Hood Photo thread...

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/184098-official-3rd-gen-4runner-scooped-sport-hood-photo-thread-3.html

Late Monday afternoon I found this beautiful Millennium Silver Sport hood in East Texas. It has been 5 days and I haven't sold it. I'm trying not to get discouraged, but it is frustrating because this hood is in near perfect condition and a very rare find. If I can make a little money on items like this it will help finance my build, so hopefully I will sell this one and continue enjoying finding parts like this for fellow forum members.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/sale-t4r-items/186775-fs-3rd-gen-oem-millennium-silver-highlander-sport-edition-scooped-hood-b-cs-texas.html

The day KrishnanSR5 came over to buy the black Sport hood I was installing a like-new driver-side headlight that was from that same black 4Runner. This is a big improvement. In my old headlight there was actually a tiny hole in the glass that would allow water to collect in the bottom and swash around until my bulb would explode. I finally covered the hole with some clear packing tape until I found a pristine OEM 99-02 headlight. My old headlight has a perfect assembly with all of the tabs and adjustments intact and is for sale cheap... http://www.toyota-4runner.org/sale-t4r-items/188419-fs-cheap-99-02-driver-side-headlight-perfect-assembly-hole-glass-will-ship-tx.html

 

[SURF RUNNER]

Found Two More Sport Hoods; Finally Shipping

Today was an extremely long day dominated by 4Running Fanaticism. If I can get my little side business going it will help me with some money to finance my build. Saturdays have become my busiest day now. I left College Station at 7:30am and got back in town at 8:00pm. After breakfast with my Dad in The Woodlands I picked up a green (GREEN 001) Sport hood that I had already made arrangements to buy and received the PayPal payment for it 15 minutes later. Thanks [MENTION=116195]weekendclimber[/MENTION]

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/sale-t4r-items/187699-someone-going-buy-green-sport-hood-if-i-get-one-tomorrow-central-texas.html

After that I spent the rest of the day searching for another Sport hood. I finally found one in Northeast Houston. It is another Silver Sport Hood, so it will be SILVER 002. I also found an external snorkel tube, a tan cargo cover, and a rubber cup holder insert.

While I was driving around I figured out a way that I can start to ship Sport Hoods, so I am going to detail that before I finish the rest of this thread. For more info see the post linked below.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/sale-t4r-items/186775-fs-3rd-gen-oem-millennium-silver-highlander-sport-edition-scooped-hood-b-cs-texas-3.html#post1912727

Both of these Sport hoods are SOLD. SILVER 001 is still for sale. The cargo cover and cup holder insert have also been SOLD.

 

[weekendclimber]

Thanks brother! I'm stoked, even though it'll be after November before my 4Runner is down in Texas and I can get it installed. I'm going to consider it a nice little wedding present to myself!!

 

[MattJakobs]

After that I spent the rest of the day searching for another Sport hood. I finally found one in Northeast Houston. It is another Silver Sport Hood, so it will be SILVER 002. I also found an external snorkel tube, a tan cargo cover, and a rubber cup holder insert.

Dibs on the cup holder inserts! Still jealous of that hood :cheers: